Anchoring device for concrete forms



Dec. 27, 1955 G. T. ARMSTRONG V ANCHORING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE FORMS Filed Oct. 28, 1955 INVENTOR. 620/ e Zmiv United States Patent AN CHORING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE FORMS George T. Armstrong, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application October 28, 1953, Serial No. 388,845

4 Claims. (Cl. 25131) My invention relates generally to improvements in tie elements utilized in constructing of cementitious Walls and the like to maintain the spaced form panels in the desired relationship during the pouring and molding of said walls.

More particularly, my invention relates to improvements in spreader cones used in connection with tie elements.

Form ties extend transversely through the concrete walls and afford an efiicient means for tying the form panels together. These tie elements are necessarily cast into and remain a part of the wall formed between the form panels. Where specifications require the tie metal to be 1" to 2 back of the wall facing, spreader cones are used in conjunction with said ties. These spreader cones are in the nature of conical heads having axial openings therethrough for the slidable reception of the lag bolts, the inner ends of said spreader cones providing shoulders which engage the adjacent end of the tie and the outer ends thereof provide shoulders which abut against the form panel flush with the outer surface of the wall. The spreader cones are likewise cast into the wall initially and are subsequently removed therefrom after the lag screws have been removed and the form panels disassembled. The conical recesses which remain in the wall surfaces as a result of removing these spreader cones are then filled or plugged with concrete. However, because the walls of said recesses are too smooth to form a gripping surface for the concrete, it has been found necessary that said walls be roughened as by a hammer and chisel. This Work is tedious, time consuming and costly.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of spreader cones which, when removed from the concrete walls, will leave a sufiiciently rough impression in the walls of the recesses formed thereby to retain a concrete plug, without the necessity of further roughening the walls of said recesses.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class immediately above described which may be removed from the concrete wall with the ease of a spreader cone having perfectly smooth walls.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a spreader cone for use as above described, which is formed from a pliable plastic material such as polyethylene, which is non-corrosive and impervious to moistureand which by virtue of such characteristics may be removed from a wall in which it is imbedded with a minimum of time and effort.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a device of the class above described which is inexpensive to produce and which is extremely durable.

The above and still further object of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed specifications, appended claims and attached drawings. Referring to the drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts in several views:

Fig. l is a fragmentary view, partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation showing my novel spreader cones in operative position between spaced wall forming 2,728,127 Patented Dec. 27, 1955 panels or matrix sections, but prior concrete therebetween;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section and partly in plan showing one of my novel spreader cones imbedded in a concrete wall, after the removal of the form panel;

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, after the spreader cone has been removed but prior to removal of the groove-forming elastic ring;

Fig. 4' is a perspective view of my novel spreader cone; and

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of my spreader cone with the ring removed therefrom and shown in section.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates a spreader element in the nature of an elongated or conical head having an axial bolt receiving opening 2 therethrough. Preferably and as shown the head 1 comprises a pair of axially aligned frusto-conical inner and outer sections 3 and 4 respectively which define therebetween an annular abutment 5. Preferably the head 1 is formed from pliable plastic material such as polyethylene, and which material is non-corrosive and impervious to moisture for reasons which will hereinafter be explained in greater detail.

An elastic band or ring 6 preferably has an inner diameter corresponding approximately to the shoulder-acting inner end 7 of the frusto-conical section 3 so as to facilitate insertion thereof onto the reduced end thereof. In practice the elastic ring 6 is pushed outwardly to the point where it engages the annular shoulder 5at which point it is considerably expanded and under tension to return to its normal reduced diameter. The head 1, with the ring 6 so affixed, is now in condition for use.

As shown in Fig. l the heads 1 are positioned between the outer opposite ends 8 of a tie element 9 and the adjacent wall form panel 10. As there shown the shoulder 11 forming inner ends 7 of the head 1 engages the outer end 8 of the tie 9 and the shoulder-acting outer end of said head 1 engages the form panel 10. Note that the lag screws 12 project through the form panel 10, through the opening 2 in the head 1 and has threaded engagement with a helically wound thread-acting coil 13 at opposite ends of the tie 9.

When the concrete is poured between the form panel 10, the ties 9 and the head-acting spreader cones 1 are embedded therein. However, as shown in Fig. 2 when the lag bolts 12 and the'form panels 10 have been removed, the outer shoulder-acting surface 11 of the spreader cone 1 is flush with the outer wall surface Y and thus may readily be removed from wall X. Removal of such spreader cones in the past has frequently presented quite a problem. For instance, where they are formed of wood or other moisture-absorbent materials, they become so expanded circumferentially, due to the moisture in the concrete, that they have to be virtually broken up and chipped out. On the other hand, Where they are formed from steel or cast iron, they are freto the pouring of the quently rusted in position and can only be removed by I imparting partial rotation thereto with a socket wrench or the like. However, my pliable plastic spreader cones, formed from polyethylene or the like, may be quickly removed merely by distorting same by impact with any sort of a tool, or at the best, by inserting a screw driver or the like between the conical walls 4 of the recesses 14 formed thereby.

As shown in Fig. 3, removal of the spreader cone 1 from the surface Y of the wall X leaves a recess 14 therein corresponding precisely to the shape of the spreader cone 1 and the elastic ring 6. However, it is important to note that the elastic ring 6 has now returned to its normal reduced diameter--thus partially removing it from the annular groove 15 which has been formed thereby, when said ring 6 was in the expanded position of Fig. 2. This partial contraction of the ring 6 greatly facilitates its removal from the recess 14-which removal may be accomplished either by a suitable tool or even with the bare hand without the benefit of tools. After removal of the elastic ring 6 from the groove 15, concrete of a desired mixture is forced into the recess 14 and the annular groove 15 is likewise filled therewith. The spreader cone 1 and the ring 6 may be reused almost indefinitely.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the above objectives and while I have shown a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be obvious that the same should be capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A spreader element for use with tie elements connecting spaced form panels, said element being in the nature of an elongated head and having an axial opening therethrough for the reception of a bolt, inner and outer ends of said head providing shoulders adapted to engage the adjacent end of the tie element and a panel respectively, and an elastic ring encompassing a portion of said head concentric with said axial opening, said ring project ing radially outwardly from said head and being inwardly slidably removable therefrom and said ring being stretched onto said head to cause said ring to contract in diameter when slidably removed from said head.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said head is provided with a generally inwardly tapering wall surface between said shoulders, and in which said elastic ring 4 engages said tapering wall surface intermediate said shoulders.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 in which said tapering wall surface is provided with an annular abutment which limits outward sliding movements of said elastic ring.

4. A spreader element for use with tie elements connecting spaced form panels, said element being in the nature of an elongated head and having an axial opening therethrough for the reception of a bolt, said head being formed from pliable plastic material which is non-corrosive and impervious to moisture, inner and outer ends of said head providing shoulders adapted to engage the adjacent end of the tie element and a panel, respectively, said head defining a generally inwardly tapering wall surface between said shoulders, and an elastic ring having a normal diameter corresponding approximately to the reduced inner end of said head in its operative position being stretched to accommodate and engage the enlarged intermediate portion of said tapering wall surface in concentric relationship with said axial opening, said ring projecting radially outwardly from said head and being inwardly slidably removable therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES. PATENTS 2,314,866 Bosco Mar. 30, 1943 2,335,338 Hillberg Nov. 30, 1943 2,388,865 Parmenter Nov. 13, 1945 2,612,674 Bracewell Oct. 7, 1952 2,677,165 Copenhaver et al. May 4, 1954 

